ERIC ED464907: Flexibility for Quality Programs and Innovative Ideas for High Quality Teachers. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. House of Represent

115 Pages·1999·1.4 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
SP 040 722
ED 464 907
Flexibility for Quality Programs and Innovative Ideas for
TITLE
High Quality Teachers. Hearing before the Subcommittee on
Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning of
the Committee on Education and the Workforce. House of
Representatives, One Hundred Sixth Congress, First Session
(Washington, DC, May 5, 1999).
New Jersey Library Association.
INSTITUTION
House-Hrg-106-31
REPORT NO
ISBN-0-16-059370-0
ISBN
1999-00-00
PUB DATE
115p.
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U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of
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*Educational Quality; Elementary Secondary Education;
DESCRIPTORS
*Faculty Development; Federal Aid; Federal Government;
*Government Role; Hearings; *Teacher Competencies; Teacher
Improvement; *Teaching Skills
Congress 106th; Dwight D Eisenhower Professional Development
IDENTIFIERS
Prog
ABSTRACT
This hearing focused on issues related to teacher quality.
It examined the role of the federal government in providing funds for
professional development and looked at the largest federal program dedicated
to this area, the Eisenhower Professional Development Program. Atter opening
statements by Chairman Howard P. McKeon and Ranking Member Matthew Martinez,
both of the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, Training and Lifelong
Learning, Committee on Education and the Workforce, the hearing included
statements from: Marnie S. Shaul, Associate Director, Education and
Employment Issues, General Accounting Office, Washington, DC; Beatrice F.
Birman, Director, National Evaluation of the Eisenhower Professional
Development Program, American Institutes for Research, Washington, DC; David
A. Bauman, Director, Capital Area Math/Science Alliance, Summerdale, PA;
Colleen Seremet, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Board of Education
of Dorchester County, Cambridge, MD; and Louisa Moats, Project Director,
NICHD, University of Texas at Houston, Early Interventions Project,
Washington. DC. The written opening statement and written testimonies are
appended.
(SM)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
s P
FLEXIBILITY FOR QUALITY PROGRAMS AND
INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR HIGH QUALITY
TEACHERS
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION,
TRAINING AND LIFE-LONG LEARNING
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND
THE WORKFORCE
HOUSE ON REPRESENTATIVES
ONE ITUNDRED SIXTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
HEARING HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC, MAY 5, 1999
Serial No. 106-31
Printed for the use of the Committee on Education and the Workforce
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
O This document has been reproduced as
received trom the person or organization
originating it.
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improve reproduction quality.
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office
DC 20402
Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office, Washington,
ISBN 0-16-059370-0
ti
2
CI)
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE
WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania, Chairman
WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY, Missouri
THOMAS E. PETRI, Wisconsin
MARGE ROUKEMA, New Jersey
GEORGE MILLER. California
CASS BALLENGER. North Carolina
DALE E. KILDEE. Michigan
MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ. California
BILL E. BARRETT. Nebraska
JOHN A. BOEHNER, Ohio
MAJOR R. OWENS. New York
PETER HOEKSTRA, Michigan
DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
HOWARD P. "BUCK" McKEON, California
PATSY MINK. Hawaii
MICHAEL N. CASTLE, Delaware
ROBERT E. ANDREWS. New Jersey
SAM JOHNSON. Texas
TIM ROEMER. Indiana
JAMES M. TALENT. Missouri
ROBERT C. ''BOBBY" SCOTT. Virginia
JAMES C. GREENWOOD, Pennsylvania
LYNN C. WOOLSEY. California
LINDSEY 0. GRAHAM. South Carolina
CARLOS A. ROMERO-BARCELO, Puerto-Rico
MARK E. SOUDER. Indiana
CHAKA FATTAEL Pennsylvania
DAVID M. McINTOSH, Indiana
RUBEN HINOJOSA. Texas
CHARLIE W. NORWOOD, JR., Georgia
CAROLYN McCARTHY, New York
RON PAUL. Texas
JOHN F. TIERNEY, Massachusetts
BOB SCHAFFER, Colorado
RON KIND, Wisconsin
FRED UPTON, Michigan
LORETTA SANCHEZ, California
NATHAN DEAL. Georgia
HAROLD E. FORD, JR., Tennessee
VAN HILLEARY, Tennessee
DENNIS KUCINICH, Ohio
DAVID WU. Oregon
VERNON J. EHLERS, Michigan
MATT SALMON, Arizona
RUSH D. HOLT, New Jersey
THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado
ERNIE FLETCHER, Kentucky
JIM DeMINT, South Carolina
JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
Kevin Talley, Staff Director
Gail E. Weiss, Minority Staff Director
SUBCOMMITTEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND
LIFE-LONG LEARNING
HOWARD P. "BUCK" McKEON, California, Chairman
WILI.IAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania
MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California
THOMAS E. PETRI, Wisconsin
JOHN F. TIERNEY. Massachusetts
BILL E. BARRETT, Nebraska
RON KIND. Wisconsin
JAMES C. GREENWOOD. Pennsylvania
RUSH D. HOLT. New Jersey
LINDSEY 0. GRAHAM, South Carolina
MAJOR R. OWENS, New York
DAVIS M. McINTOSH, Indiana
PATSY MINK, Hawaii
MICHAEL N. CASTLE, Delaware
ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey
MARK E. SOUDER, Indiana
TIM ROEMER, Indiana
NATHAN DEAL, Georgia
CHAKA FATTATI. Pennsylvania
VERNON J. EHLERS, Michigan
RUBEN HINOJOSA, Texas
JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
iii
OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN HOWARD P. "BUCK" McKEON,
SUBCOMMITTEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LIFE-
LONG LEARNING, COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE,
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC
OPENING STATEMENT OF RANKING MEMBER MATTHEW MARTINEZ,
SUBCOMMITTEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LIFE-
LONG LEARNING, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC 2
STATEMENT OF DR. MARNIE S. SHAUL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR,
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ISSUES, GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, DC
5
STATEMENT OF DR. BEATRICE F. BIRMAN, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL
EVALUATION OF THE EISENHOWER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM, AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH, WASHINGTON, DC
.. 7
STATEMENT OF DR. DAVID A. BAUMAN, DIRECTOR, CAPITAL AREA
MATH/SCIENCE ALLIANCE, SUMMERDALE, PA
9
STATEMENT OF DR. COLLEEN SEREMET, ASSIST-ANT SUPERINTENDENT
FOR INSTRUCTION, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF DORCHESTER
COUNTY, CAMBRIDGE, MD
12
STATEMENT OF DR. LOUISA MOATS, PROJECT DIRECTOR, NICHD,
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON, EARLY INTERVENTIONS PROJECT,
WASHINGTON, DC
14
APPENDIX B - WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF DR. MARNIE S. SHAUL,
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ISSUES,
GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, DC
39
APPENDIX C - WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF DR. BEATRICE F. BIRMAN,
DIRECTOR, NATIONAL EVALUATION OF THE EISENHOWER
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AMERICAN INSTITUTES FQR
RESEARCH, WASHINGTON, DC
63
APPENDIX D WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF DR. DAVID A. BAUMAN,
DIRECTOR, CAPITAL AREA MATH/SCIENCE ALLIANCE, SUMMERDALE, PA
95
APPENDIX E - WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF DR. COLLEEN SEREMET,
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR INSTRUCTION, THE BOARD OF
EDUCATION OF DORCHESTER COUNTY, CAMBRIDGE, MD
105
IV
APPENDIX F - WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF DR. LOUISA MOATS, PROJECT
DIRECTOR, NICHD, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON, EARLY
INTERVENTIONS PROJECT, WASHINGTON, DC
I I I
TABLE OF INDEXES
120
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FLEXIBILITY FOR QUALITY PROGRAMS AND
INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1999
SUBCOMMITTEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING
AND LIFE-LONG LEARNING,
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:30 a.m., in Room 2175, Rayburn
House Office Building, Hon. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon [Chairman of the
Subcommittee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Goodling, McKeon, Barrett, Deal, Ehlers, lsakson,
Martinez, Owens, Tierney, and Kind.
Staff Present: Mary Clagett, Professional Staff Member; Victor Klatt, Education
Policy Coordinator; Sally Lovejoy, Senior Education Policy Advisor; D'Arcy Philps,
Professional Staff Member; Michael Reynard, Media Assistant; Shane Wright,
Legislative Assistant; June Harris, Minority Education Coordinator; Marshall Grigsby,
Minority Senior Legislative Associate/Education; Mary Ellen Ardouny, Minority
Legislative Associate/Education; Marjan Ghafourpour, Minority Staff Assistant/Labor;
and Shannon Gardner, Minority Receptionist.
OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN HOWARD P. "BUCK" McKEON,
SUBCOMMI7TEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND
LIFE-LONG LEARNING, COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE
WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC
Chairman McKeon. Good morning. Welcome to this Subcommittee's second in a
series of hearings focused on issues related to teacher quality. Let me begin by noting
that this is Teacher Appreciation Week. I know that several of our witnesses are, or have
been teachers; and I am sure we have at least a few teachers in our audience. To each of
you, I thank you for your dedication to our Nation's children.
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Yesterday, we passed a resolution supporting and commending our teachers, and
there were a lot of good things said; and I am sure it was inadequate to really thank our
teachers for what they do.
Last week, we heard from a broad spectrum of witnesses who all stated
unequivocally that teacher quality is the most important factor in student achievement. A
question perhaps far more difficult to answer is, how do we make sure that every teacher
is of high quality? Although there are many views on this question, today we will take a
close look at the role that professional development can play in making sure that all
teachers at least have the necessary knowledge to be highly effective.
We will begin by examining the role of the Federal Government in providing
funds for professional development. Additionally, we will take a much closer look at the
largest Federal program dedicated to this area, the Eisenhower Professional Development
Program. In focusing on this program, we will hopefully get a better understanding of its
strengths and weaknesses from both a national as well as a local perspective.
However, the Eisenhower Program is often only a piece of a broad array of
professional development programs administered by school districts. To learn more
about how these, along with State and local programs, are coordinated and the difficulties
in doing so, we have the opportunity to hear from an exemplary local school official.
Additionally, we will have the opportunity to hear the tremendous benefit that an
effective professional development program can have upon both teachers and entire
schools.
I wish to thank each of our witnesses for taking time to be with us, and I look
forward to their testimonies.
At this time I yield to the Ranking Member, Mr. Martinez, for any statement that
he might have.
WRITTEN OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAIN HOWARD P. "BUCK"
McKEON, SUBCOMMITTEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING
AND LIFE-LONG LEARNING, COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE
WORKFORCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, DC SEE
APPENDIX A
OPENING STATEMENT OF RANKING MEMBER MATTHEW MARTINEZ,
SUBCOMMITTEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND
LIFE-LONG LEARNING, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WASHINGTON, DC
Mr. Martinez. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As you said, this week is Teacher
Appreciation Week. And yesterday we passed a resolution recognizing the important
achievements of our Nation's teachers and urging all Americans to pay tribute to our
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Nation's teachers.
Many Members came to the floor to share fond memories and express deep
gratitude for a teacher or teachers who made a difference in their lives. My own
perception of education was greatly impacted when my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Cason,
took the time to show me that I could learn once she got my attention.
However, I think that all of us who spoke yesterday realize that the very positive
experiences we encountered in the classroom took place in a different era. Although, as
many highly qualified and dedicated individuals enter the field of teaching today, they
face different problems than they did 40 years ago. Today their talents are spread so
thinly they cannot effectively address the needs of their students. Many become
discouraged and leave the field after only a few short years.
Therefore, I believe it is incumbent upon us to provide incentives to these highly
qualified and dedicated individuals to not only entice them into the classroom in the first
place, but also to ensure that once they get there, they stay.
We must provide teachers with smaller classes so they can manage their students
better and spend quality time with them. We must provide them with classrooms that are
clean and safe. We must provide them with a curriculum that is current and technology
so they can prepare our children for the 21st century.
Most of all, we must provide them with opportunities to continue their own
educations so they may effectively pass this curriculum and those technological skills on
to our children. In the words of the famous librarian, John Cotton Dana, "He who teaches
must never cease to learn."
As such, we must ensure that our teachers have access to quality professional
development that is intensive, sufficient in duration, and connected to the classroom.
This Subcommittee is currently in the process of drafting legislation that will
provide such access to our Nation's teachers. We are seeking input from the community
on this legislation, and we are very interested to hear your thoughts on professional
development.
I look forward to your testimony, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Chairman McKeon. Thank you, Mr. Martinez.
We always make very careful plans, and we set up these uninterrupted sessions
and then somebody else calls a vote, and that has now happened. We are in the middle of
a vote. This is probably a good time to break, if we have to. We will run and vote and
come right back and then introduce our witnesses and get right into your testimony.
Thank you very much.
[Recess.]
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Chairman McKeon. Well, they assured us that we have no more votes for an hour, for
at least half an hour.
We have first Dr. Marnie Shaul, Associate Director of Education Workforce and
Income Security Issues from the U.S. General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C.
We have Dr. Bea Birman from the American Institute of Research, also in Washington,
D.C. We have Dr. David Bauman, who the Chairman of the full Committee is going to
introduce because you are from his State. Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Goodling. My extoicomometry, which I never heard of the word in
my life,
professor and chemistry professor as a freshman in college, which was Dr. Harry
Bauman, had a son, David Bauman, and I had to go down and find out if Dr. Bauman
was
he. Of course, I was a country boy, and Dr. Bauman indicated about halfway through the
first semester that if I really didn't get down to work, I didn't have a snowball's chance in
Hades of passing through the course. So he was generous, however, by the time
we got
to the end of the semester.
I also, first of all, want to congratulate Dr. Moats, because I understand that the
reading situation in D.C. is improving dramatically. And I am happy to hear that that's
the case through your efforts.
I want to introduce Dr. Bauman, who is the Executive Director of the Capital
Area Math/Science Alliance in the Capital Area Institute for Math and Science in
Summerdale, PA, which is part of my Congressional district. The alliance and the
institute provide long-term professional development and technical assistance to 24
school districts in Central Pennsylvania.
He has an extensive background in education and related fields. He
was a
teacher, principal, college professor, and taskforce leader of the writing committee
to
develop Pennsylvania's science and technology content standards. He is currently the
Vice President of the Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association. I could
go on with a
list of accomplishments, but we will save the time for him rather than for
me. Welcome.
Dr. Bauman. Thank you.
Chairman McKeon. Thank you. We have Dr. Colleen Seremet. Colleen Seremet,
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction from the Board of Education of Dorchester
County, Cambridge, Maryland. And Dr. Louisa Moats, who the chairman just referred
to, Project Director of NICHD, the University of Texas at Houston, Early Interventions
Project here in Washington, D.C. And also Mr. Abdullah, a teacher in that
program. My
understanding is you will not be testifying, but you are available for questions.
Mr. Abdullah. Yes.
Chairman McKeon. I am correct. Great.
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Let's begin with Dr. Shaul. You see that red light. You have each been notified
you will have 5 minutes. You will start with a green light. When you have a minute left,
the yellow light comes on, and just before the trapdoor opens, the red light comes on to
give you a warning. Your full testimony and anything else you want to add will be
placed in the written record.
And we are happy now to hear from Dr. Shaul.
STATEMENT OF DR. MARNIE S. SHAUL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR,
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ISSUES, GENERAL ACCOUNTING
OFFICE, WASHINGTON, DC
Dr. Shaul. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee. We
appreciate the opportunity to discuss our ongoing work for the Subcommittee concerning
federally funded teacher training programs. Two factors make today's hearing timely:
one is the increased national attention on teacher quality and the other is the evolving
implementation of the Results Act, which requires that agencies rethink how they manage
programs and demonstrate professional development. Because teacher training plays a
key role in education reform efforts, it is important to know the current level and range of
Federal investment in these programs.
Today, I would first like to describe the number of agencies and the programs
they administer that support teacher training, along with some general characteristics of
the programs. Then I will discuss the funding provided for these programs.
I will also discuss some of the challenges in determining whether these programs
are achieving desired outcomes. My statement is based on preliminary observations from
our ongoing review. In summary, our preliminary results indicate that 13 agencies
administer 87 programs which support teacher training to varying degrees. The
Department of Education administers the majority of these programs. Federal funding for
teacher training is estimated at about $1.5 billion during fiscal year 1999.
The number of agencies and the number and diverse nature of the programs create
challenges in determining whether programs are achieving national goals. I would like to
elaborate briefly on each of these topics.
First, the extent to which the 87 programs support teacher training varies. While
some programs were created specifically to support teacher training, many other support
teacher training as a means of achieving other purposes. As part of our review, we asked
agencies to classify their programs into three categories based on these differences.
Agencies responded as follows: 12 programs are designed only or exclusively to
support teacher training. Education administers eight of these programs, including the
Eisenhower State Grant Program, the largest teacher training program. Thirty-nine
programs are designed to achieve purposes other than just teacher training but support a
significant amount of teacher training.
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